Collapsible sawhorse



July 7, 1953 w. E, MILLER coLLAPsIBLE sAwHoRsE.

Filed March 17, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT oF COLLAPSIBLE SAWHORSE William E. Miller, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application March 17, 1950, Serial N o. 150,159

This invention relates to a collapsible saw horse and it is an object of the invention to provide a device of this kind which can be compacted to facilitate storage or transportation;

It is also an object of the invention to provide a device of this kind which can be readily set up or knocked down and wherein is embodied clamping jaws or grip plates arranged in pairs, said jaws or plates of a pair being selectively adjustable one with respect to the other to allow for cross bars or members of `diilerent widths.

The invention consist-s in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved collapsible saw horse whereby certain advantages are attained, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

Inv order that my invention may be better understood, l ywill now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a view in side elevation of a horse constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; l

Figure 2 is a View in end elevation of Figure 1, a folded or compacted adjustment being indicated by broken lines;

Figure 3 is an enlarged view in top plan of one of the top plates herein comprised with only a single clamping jaw or grip plate applied; and

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

In the embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the saw horse comprises two duplicate leg units L and an elongated cross bar or member B of desired dimensions. This bar or member B is alsov disclosed as straight from end to end and rectangular in cross section at all points therealong.

Each of the leg units L comprisestwo legs I of a T formation in cross section. Welded or other-wise rigidly secured to the lower end of the leg l is a ilat foot plate 2 enclosed from below within a pad 3 of rubber or other suitable material to prevent slippage and the like.

Rigid with the upper end of each leg I is a iiat top plate 4 of desired dimensions and upon which is placed the clamping jaws or gripping plates 5 to be hereinafter more particularly referred to.

'I'he upper portions of the legs I of each unit L are provided with the inwardly disposed and opposed arms 6 of desired length `and rigid with the legs I. These arms 6 are substantially of the same length and the outer extremities there- 1 Claim. (c1. 304-5) of are pivotally connected, as at 7, to allow the legs I to be swung inwardly .one toward the other into substantially parallel relation as indicated by broken lines in Figure 2 of the drawings. I

When the legs I are extended. for luse they converge toward the .upper endsthereof with the arms 6 in alignment. 'The legs I are maintained in extended relation by a linkage now to be described in detail.

The lower portions of the legs of a unit L are provided with the inwardly disposed and substantially aligned short arms 8, to the outer extremities of which are pivotally connected, as.

at 9, inner end portions of the elongated rigid links I0. The outer extremities of the links I0 are pivotally connected, as at II, with one of the links having a short extension I2 disposed outwardly beyond the pivot II. This extended portion I 2 is provided with a laterally disposed lug I4 to Contact from above with the second link I 0 at a point inwardly of the pivot II to prevent the links I0 from swinging downwardly below the horizontal and thus limit the extent of separation of the lower portions of the legs I. This extent of separation of the legs I. also determines the angle of divergence of the legs I and it is to be noted that the plates 2 and 4 are set at such angles with respect to the longitudinal axes of the legs I to assure the plates 2 and 4 being substantially horizontal when the legs I are separated for use.

Each of the clamping jaws or gripping plates 5 as herein embodied is elongated with its inner face at. Carried by the inner face of the jaw or plate 5 at desired points thereon are the outstanding gripping or biting teats I5.

The central portion of each of the plates or jaws 5 has rigid therewith and extending outwardly from the outer face thereof, the longitudinally spaced flanges I6. These flanges I6 are disposed transversely across the outer face of the jaw or plate 5 and extends a desired distance therebelow for direct contact from above with the upper face of a top plate 4.

The top plate 4 is provided with a series of pairs of openings I '1, with said pairs of openings spaced apart in a direction from the inner end of the plate 4 to the outer end thereof. Extending from above through each opening I'I of a selected pair is the short flat Shanks I8 depending from the lower end of one of the flanges II and the outer end portion of said shank is provided with a perpendicularly related short arm I9 for contact from below with the plate 4 and more especially FICE when outward pressure is imposed on the plate 5. The outer corner portion at the junction of the arm i9 and shank I8 is rounded, as at 20, to facilitate the application of the plate at a desired position upon the plate 4 and vice versa.

By having means for relatively adjusting the jaws or plates 5 of each unit L, it is believed obvious that the unit can be employed to advantage with cross bars or members B of different widths within certain limitations.

It is believed obvious from the foregoing that when the saw horse is not in use it can be easily compacted to facilitate storage or transportation and when so compactechthe jaws or plates 5, if y desired. may be readily removed to facilitate such storage or transportation although'this is not at all times necessary.

From the foregoing description it is thought'A ward swinging movement of the lower portions of the legs as permitted by the pivotal connection between the upper portions, a plate fixed to the top of each of the two legs of the unit, said plates being disposed in a common horizontal plane when the legs are swung to the limit of their outward movement, each of said plates havingopenings spaced apart in a direction transversely of the horse, a clamping jaw for each plate, a shank projecting beyond an edge of each jaw and passing from above through a selected opening, and an angularly disposed arm carried by the shank to engage the plate from below upon application of outward pressure to the clamping jaw.

WILLIAM E. MILLER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Edwards NOV. 15, 1938 

